ET VITAM VENTURI III (1995) for computer Realized in MIT Csound, with nGen preprocessing Arthur B. Hunkins And I look for the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the world to come. Apostles' Creed And Jesus said to him, "Verily I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43 GENERAL ET VITAM VENTURI III is a slow-moving, meditative work for computer realized in MIT Csound. It exists in four variable forms, all of which require scorefile preprocessing with nGen. nGen is downloadable from Csounds.com, under "Csound Utilities." The same scorefile (vitamgen.txt) is used with the four different orchestras (vitamm.orc, vitams.orc, vitampm.orc and vitamps.orc). A sample .sco output of nGen processing - using the default random seed rs(5) - is here included as vitam.sco, for those wishing to experience a "typical" rendering with any of these orchestras. ET VITAM VENTURI also exists in two previous, live performance versions: ET VITAM VENTURI for two Yamaha PSS480 or PSS680 synthesizers (one or two performers), and ET VITAM VENTURI II for Yamaha FB01 or TX81Z Tone Generator and MIDI Keyboard. Though sister compositions, their significant differences warrant a unique numerical designation. Duration (at default tempo = 60) is 8 minutes 40 seconds. Volume is set prior to performance; level is somewhat soft for the first two events and reaches "moderate" at the first bell tone, where it remains. In the stereo versions, place the speakers so that spatial separation is only modest. THE FOUR VERSIONS The orchestra files listed below, accompanied by a scorefile generated from vitamgen.txt (via nGen preprocessing), are meant to be input to MIT Csound. Csound's output is a massive digital soundfile suitable for a given 16-bit D/A converter (typically a 16-bit sound card) and compatible digital soundfile player. "Numinous modulation" below refers to a very small amount of fast random pitch change; it produces a slight shimmer and additional fullness. These versions have the letter p (for "plus") in their titles. VITAMM.ORC--a monaural version without "numinous modulation" VITAMS.ORC--as above, except stereo VITAMPM.ORC--a monaural version "plus," the plus being "numinous modulation" VITAMPS.ORC--as above, except stereo NGEN PREPROCESSING The command-line format for preprocessing of vitamgen.txt is: ngen vitamgen.txt vitam.sco . The user is responsible for preprocessing (directions for all platforms are included in the download from Csounds.com). This creates your final scorefile; name it anything you like as long as it has the .sco extension. You can optionally delete the inoperative comment lines that begin with a semicolon. THE VARIABLE ELEMENTS Several compositional parameters can either be specified by the user or be randomly varied. nGen preprocessing is for the purpose of randomizing the following parameters: event start time and duration, bell tone selection, and (in stereo versions) stereo placement. The only action the user takes is to specify a different random seed (rs) value in vitamgen.txt. (Make all indicated user customizations with a text editor, in either vitamgen.txt or one of the orchestra files. Specific instructions are included in the text files themselves.) In addition, several variables may be chosen by the user, though all have default values. Tempo is variable from 30 to 60, with a default of 60; this change is made in vitamgen.txt. (For actual meditation, the tempo may be slowed still further.) A number of parameters are user-specified in the orchestra file. Sample rate is one of these; though default is 8000, Vitam III will sound fine at any rate (appropriate to the playback hardware and software) from about 6000 samples per second on up. Whatever rate is chosen, be sure to set the value of kr (control rate) to sr / 10. Starting pitch is variable between 350 and 500 Hz, with default being 400. (This corresponds to a range of approximately F#4--above middle C--to C5.) In addition, a pitch of "0" may be specified, which means that a value will be randomly selected (by nGen) within the stated range. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, a coded value for "gicar" may be selected. This is, in effect, the carrier modulation index. The four choices include two fixed and two randomly varied options: a pair for a "little" modulation and a pair for "a lot." (Default value is a "little," fixed amount.) This selection determines the "blossom" of the bell tones, the number and strength of inharmonic sidebands. "A lot" results in rich, often expansive sonorities, while "little" causes a more focussed, restrained sound. The (random) "varied" options give a range of fullness, while still clearly representing either "a lot" or "little." In addition, the two opening non-bell sonorities reflect the choice of "lot" or "little"; they, as well as the comparable final tones, are somewhat fuller for "a lot." CUSTOMIZATION OF BELL TONES The most creative application of ET VITAM VENTURI III lies in the making of custom bell tones. This is done by specifying in the "f3" line of the orchestra file new values (between .16 and .44) for the last eight numbers. (The default series corresponds to those of ET VITAM VENTURI II, which were selected from those available on the Yamaha FB01 and TX81Z Tone Generators. In contrast, no hardware-based limitations apply to Csound.) Two test programs, vitamt.orc and vitamt.sco, are included here to facilitate the creation/selection of new bell tones. Complete instructions are included in these files, which are run without nGen preprocessing. Any or all eight of the bell tones may be replaced (their numerical order has no significance, as their appearance is random). The main requirements for selection (aside from personal preference!) are lack of beating, and appropriate numeric "spacing." This latter term means that values should be at least ".01" apart, so that tones do not too closely resemble one another. An alternate collection chosen by the composer is included as an example.